Serving Up {Salad}: Cranberry Avocado Salad

I love avocados!  When I stumbled across this recipe it was titled "Cranberry Avocado Salad" and I truthfully assumed that it was an avocado salad.  I was super excited.  When I prepared the salad, and realized that it was a green salad topped with avocado's I was a little disappointed but got over it by doubling the avocado's called for to increase my avocado to green salad ratio.  (The original recipe calls for two avocados, I used four when I made it the first time, I listed three for the recipe below - and I increased the craisens a bit).  Since then I have made this salad a number of times and one time I made it without salad greens completely - just avocado, craisens and nuts topped with the delicious white balsamic poppy seed dressing.  Greens or not, I promise that this salad (and dressing) will have you licking your lips.

CRANBERRY AVOCADO SALAD     PinIt
(recipe from The Cafe Sucre Farine)
printable version


Dressing:
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbs. poppy seeds
1 1/2 Tbs. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. dried mustard
1 Tbs. onion, minced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salad:
12 ounces salad greens (baby spinach, arugula, field greens)
1 small bunch cilantro, washed and dried, leaves removed whole from stems
2-3 medium avocados, peeled and thinly sliced or chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4  cup preferred nut (candied almonds or pecans)

For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a pint sized glass jar and shake well to dissolve sugar.

For the salad, place greens and cilantro leaves in a large bowl. Add avocado and dried cranberries and about 1/4 cup of the dressing and toss gently. Scatter candied almonds over salad and sprinkle lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pass extra dressing at the table.